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Michelin Is Tired of All the Car Concepts, Releases a Tire Concept

With all the talk surrounding autonomous driving, interconnected cars and all that, tire manufacturers must feel a little left out. Despite the millions of dollars that constantly go into research, their industry suddenly seems a bit... low-tech.
Michelin Vision concept tire 7 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
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Sure, the cars will continue to need rubber regardless of whether they're powered by electricity or gas - or, indeed, driven by a human being or a computer - so the future of tire companies is safe. But the same can't be said about their innovative pride.

Leave it to Michelin to save the day with its Vision concept tire. The thought of an airless tire isn't new, but the Vision isn't just a retake on that old idea. It's actually a complex assembly that incorporates both the wheel and the tire. And, of course, it's 3D-printed.

The Vision concept tire (even though it would be much more accurate to call it a wheel) resembles the internal structure of a sponge, but it's definitely more durable than your bath accessory. However, it's also made out of bio-sourced, biodegradable materials, so it's completely friendly toward the environment.

So far, there's no real reason to call it hi-tech. Ah, but here is the best part. The Vision tire (wheel, whatever) communicates with the driver in real time, informing them of the tire's condition. Based on the destination chosen in the sat nav, it will also inform the driver if they need to switch to a winter tire configuration.

But that won't require loading up the winter tires in your trunk and heading over to your local tire shop to change them. Pff, that sounds so 21st century. Instead, the Michelin envisions a set network of tire printing stations scattered around - much like EV charging stations - where you can stop for a few minutes while the 3D printers change the thread of your tires.

New configurations won't be limited to weather conditions. You can also make changes as you prepare to enter your favorite road section, so you'd like a little more grip. Or if your battery/fuel tank is running low, you could go for a low rolling resistance configuration to make sure you reach the next charging/gas station.

Michelin calls the Vision concept "a realistic dream," and as far as the technology involved goes, we'd have to agree. However, it also looks like a very distant dream, and that's because tires are among the last in the pecking order of things we'd like to change on our cars. Sorry, Michelin, if you crave for hi-tech stuff, you're in the wrong line of work.

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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